Understanding the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
The Comprehensive Ranking System is used to rank immigration applicants in Canada in the Express Entry pool one against the other. The top candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in Canada. Read on to know more about the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and how it is used for applicants in the pool.
What is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score?
The Canadian government created a merit-based scoring system that allocates a score to each applicant in the Express Entry pool in order to list immigration candidates. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is the name of the points system, as well as the CRS score is the number issued to each applicant. Express Entry is in charge of three different programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
A CRS score of 1200 points is awarded to everybody who uploads a profile to the Express Entry pool of applicants. The Canadian government holds an Express Entry draw every 2 weeks, in which the highest-ranking individuals are issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence. Remember that CICC does not reveal the date of draws, the number of ITAs that will be given, or the minimal CRS score needed in advance of each draw.
How can I increase my CRS score?
Once in the Express Entry pool, a candidate can improve their CRS score in a variety of ways. The applicant's language proficiency, education, employment experience, and age are all heavily weighted in CRS points. Additional points can be earned if you have a Canadian sibling, speak French fluently, have a job offer in the country, or have been nominated by a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Increasing one's chances of obtaining an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in one of Canada's future Express Entry draws by obtaining additional points from one of these variables can be very beneficial.
What CRS score is required for Provincial Nominee Programs?
For applicants with low CRS ratings in the Express Entry pool, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) provide us with a path to permanent residency. Getting a nomination from a province can boost one's CRS score by 600 points, effectively ensuring an invitation to apply for permanent residency.
Provincial Nominee Programs have their own eligibility conditions, which are specified by each province (PNPs). The Express Entry mechanism is used by several of these initiatives to locate possible nominees. While many of these programs have their own scoring methodology, some provinces may utilize a candidate's CRS score, among other things, to determine whether or not they will be invited to file for nomination.
Although CRS scores vary from draw to draw, many provinces specify a minimum CRS score that must be met in order to be deemed for nomination. For example, applicants with a CRS score of less than 400 will not be considered for Ontario's Human Capital Priorities channel, whereas applicants with a CRS score of at least 300 will be considered for Alberta's Express Entry stream.
CRS Score Breakdown Table
The tables below show however many points Express Entry candidates could obtain under the Comprehensive Ranking System for each criterion.
Factors | Maximum Points Available |
| A. Core / Human Capital Factors | 460 (with spouse)/ 500 (without spouse) |
| B. Spouse or Common-Law Factors | 40 |
| C. Skill Transferability Factors | 100 |
| D. Additional Points | 600 |
| Maximum Total Points | 1200 |
Core / Human Capital Factors
Factors | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| Age | 100 | 110 |
| Level of education | 140 | 150 |
| Official languages proficiency | 150 | 160 |
| Canadian work experience | 70 | 80 |
| Maximum | 460 | 500 |
Spouse or Common-Law Factors
Factors | Points |
| Level of education | 10 |
| Official language proficiency | 20 |
| Canadian Work Experience | 10 |
| Maximum | 40 |
Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors = Maximum 500 points (with OR without a spouse or common-law partner)
Skill transferability factors (maximum 100 points)
Factor | Points |
| Education | |
| With good/strong official languages proficiency and a post-secondary degree | 50 |
| With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Maximum | 50 |
| Foreign work experience | |
| With good/strong official languages proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark [CLB] level 7 or higher) and foreign work experience | 50 |
| With Canadian work experience and foreign work experience | 50 |
| Maximum | 50 |
| Certificate of qualification (for people in trade occupations) | |
| With good/strong official languages proficiency and a certificate of qualification | 50 |
| Maximum | 50 |
| Maximum | 100 |
Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Transferability factors = Maximum 600 points
Additional points (maximum 600 points)
Factor | Points |
| Brother or sister living in Canada (citizen or permanent resident) | 15 |
| French language skills | 50 |
| Post-secondary education in Canada | 30 |
| Arranged employment | 200 |
| PN nomination | 600 |
| Maximum | 600 |
Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors + C. Transferability factors + D. Additional points = Grand total – Maximum 1,200 points
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